Binding Agreements
by Thalia Kendall
Summary: Cassius Warrington and Su Li have a bet, on the outcome of a Quidditch game: Whoever loses must follow the request of the winner, no arguments. What might they have in store for each other? Snarky romance oneshot.


A/N: Written for the lovely, talented Mynuet, on request. I've not written this ship in so long, it feels like… miss it much, but here it is again! And to those who might care, yes, Dove and I ARE still working on "Every Other Time", and there will hopefully be more of it in the near future. Meanwhile, enjoy this particular bout of Warrington/Li snark, and leave me a review!

Disclaimer: Su owns him. 

~*~

            "The confidence you show is amazing, considering that the Harpies are going to win tomorrow."

            "And the confidence YOU show in a team that is going to be using a new Chaser whose identity no one knows is even more astounding. I commend you."

            "Why thank you, but my confidence is far more well-placed."

            "In a team that has a new mystery Chaser and a Keeper who's mediocre at best."

            "Cassius Warrington, I certainly do hope that you don't think you're the only person who recognizes good Quidditch."

            Had it been any other man and woman, it might have seemed like a quarrel. But these two had met in a disagreement, engaged in a continual war of wits, and as the tall, handsome man smirked down at his verbal opponent, she was even smiling. 

            "Oh, no… but I know how good MY team is."

            "And so do I. But the other team will be better."

            It had been five years… five years since they really met and plotted against each other and realized that there wasn't anything quite so fun as matching wits with each other. And there was still disagreement, and they couldn't ever completely best each other.

            But with five years came respect, never admitted, and the ability to take enjoyment in the way things were. And then there was the fact that her eyes sparkled like dark jewels when she was scheming, and he'd found out, five years ago, that her lips tasted like apples.

            And he grinned when she set the conditions. "A single forfeit, to be named afterwards.  No conditions, no arguments, no quibbling.  Whoever wins can ask whoever loses to do or say a single forfeit and it will be done." She had a small, feline smile on her face. "And… the Harpies WILL win."

            He brought a slender hand to his lips, and as he brushed a kiss over the back of it, he gave her an infuriating cocky grin.

            "That, Li… is what YOU think."

~*~

            In the locker room of the all-witch team, after captain Cho Chang had given the women the usual speech, reminding Emma Dobbs, Beatrice Gray and the new Chaser of the strategies that they had practiced, stressing the importance of neat Hawkshead formations, etc… the new Chaser, fastening her gauntlets, took Beater Kirsten Bundy aside for a few moments' discussion.

            "What is it?" the blonde former Gryffindor asked her new teammate, "Worried about facing THAT person on the pitch?"

            The Chaser gave a slight smirk, picked up from the person in question. "Not particularly… but we had a bet on this game. Say… can you make sure of something for me?"

            "Oh, what?" Kirsten faced the petite woman with an expression of curiosity on her face.

            "Just… a little touch, to make sure that their Seeker is out of commission. We MUST win this game." The words were spoken lightly, but there was a slight hint of earnestness in the young woman's dark eyes. "I mean… Bletchley is much more experienced than our Larissa is…"

            Kirsten nodded slowly, "Understood. I'll make sure. I assume that I'll get an explanation for this after the game?"

            "If all goes well, yes. Thanks, by the way."

            Kirsten smiled at the petite woman, before shaking her head wryly. She was rather glad that SHE, unlike her new teammate, did not have to play in such a… delicate situation.

~*~

            "AND IN TODAY'S GAME, WE HAVE… THE FALMOUTH FALCONS! Having had a very strong season last year, most of the players are back to continue in hopes of championship! We have… BLETCHLEY! DERRICK! DUNSTAN! ENTWHISTLE! LAWRENCE! WARRINGTON! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND… MACAULEY!" As the magnified voice of the announcer rang out over the stadium as one team flew out to take position on their side of the pitch. Captain and Seeker Mike Macauley took position in center field, and the Harpies flew out…

            "The Harpies… with BUNDY! DOBBS! GRAY! KING! LEIGHTON! LI! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND… CHANG!" As Cho Chang also dismounted in the center of the field, the eyes of the audience were peeled towards the new Chaser for the all-women team.

            But none were so surprised, when a small Asian woman with a deceptively ingenuous grin flew out in between Keeper Larissa King and Beater Jannette Leighton, as one of her soon-to-be-opponents on the pitch. 

            "You little wench," Warrington's voice was half-surprised, and half-amused. After Macauley and Chang shook hands and took to the air, the Falcons' Seeker flew next to the Chaser, with an incredulous expression on his ruddy face. "Isn't that your…"

            "Yes," Warrington smirked, "Should be interesting… the bet…"

            "Bet?" Macauley growlwed, "Why didn't you TELL us the identity of the new Chaser if…"

            "If I didn't know?" The exchange came to an abrupt end as the Quaffle was released, and he dove for it at the same time that Su Li, giving him a slight wave, flew for it as well.

            Warrington caught it first, shaking his head at the young woman, and ducked her intercept attempt, throwing the Quaffle towards Brian Dunstan. As his teammate made off with the red ball, he turned to the green-clad woman who was flying next to him. "Very clever."

            "I rather thought so," she smiled beatifically at him, blowing him a kiss, "Good luck!"

~*~__

            Two hours later, the Snitch had not made an appearance yet, but the Falcons had a lead in terms of points. Perhaps it was because of Larissa King's inexperience, or perhaps certain Chasers were determined to win, against any odds. 

            And then, as a successful Porskoff Ploy by Dunstan and Warrington put another goal past the now-hysterical King, Su Li gave a look towards Beaters Kirsten Bundy and Jannette Leighton…

            "AND AS MACAULEY FLIES FORWARD TO BLOCK EMMA DOBBS, HE GETS HIT! A BLUDGER TO THE SHOULDER… THAT MUST HAVE HURT!" The commentator screeched into his megaphone, "FLAWLESS DOPPELBEATER, BUNDY AND LEIGHTON!"

            Mike Macauley did what could only be a stagger on the broom, but the Bludger had not hit hard enough for him to be taken out of the game. Taking one hand off the broom handle to rub his painful shoulder, he gave a rueful glance at the two Beaters, who were still flying close together after pulling off the maneuver. 

            "Slytherin tactics, I see…" Warrington called out as he flew off after Su Li, who was in possession of the Quaffle. "You're very determined to win, hmm?"

            "Why… yes," Su made a goal past Miles Bletchley amid cheers from the crowd, but before she could catch the Quaffle on the rebound, Warrington had reached around her, almost as if to embrace her, and caught the ball just as it flew past her shoulder. And as he flew off in the opposite direction with it, ducking Bludgers from Bundy and Leighton, he gave her a small wink.

            "AND WARRINGTON SCORES! NOW AT TWO HOURS AND THIRTY-THREE MINUTES INTO THE GAME, THE SCORE STANDS WITH FALCONS AT 200, HARPIES AT 40!"

            Su gritted her teeth… dammit, dammit, why did Larissa have to have a bad day TODAY, of all days?!

            A foul by Bletchley, and Su took the penalty shot, succeeding in earning her team another ten points. As she flew off after the Quaffle again, she could feel Cassius smirking at her back.

            Yes, she would win. She HAD to…

~*~

            "AND DOBBS SCORES AGAIN! 240: 100, FALCONS! NEWCOMER LI SNATCHES THE QUAFFLE… BLUDGER FROM DERRICK, QUAFFLE TO WARRINGTON… WARRINGTON OFF AND… WAIT, IS THAT THE SNITCH?!"

            And before Warrington could make it to the opposite end of the Quidditch pitch… before he could make another goal… two blurs, a small green one followed by a larger gray one, cut in front of him as they dove, hands outstretched towards a sparkle of gold near the ground in the center of the pitch…

            And Kirsten Bundy carefully aimed, posing her Beater's bat in a very precise direction.

            Just as Macauley and Chang were both about ten feet from the ground, neck to neck, a bludger, not too fast but in a very straight line, hit the Falcons' Seeker in the shoulder.

            Macauley, who'd been trying to reach past Chang for the flitting golden ball, tumbled, his form crumpling up in pain as the same spot on his shoulder was hit, the second time that day. But he had to win… he _had_ to win…

            Cho Chang gave him a slightly apologetic smile as she edged forward, and the Snitch, as if in benediction, fell right into her outstretched hand…

            "AND CHANG CATCHES THE GOLDEN SNITCH… AS WARRINGTON _SCORES ONE LAST SHOT?!_" The announcer's yells turned to incredulity when, just as Cho's hand closed around the smallest Quidditch ball, one last goal was scored. And as the crowd broke out in pandemonium, the teams dismounted, Mike Macauley grimacing and doubling over in pain.

            "AND WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT! THE GAME ENDS IN A TIE, TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POINTS ON BOTH SIDES…" The announcer went on to give more details about the final moments of the game as the two teams were led off, by referees, to their locker rooms…

            And two opposing Chasers, eyes wide, glanced at each other before they were separated.

~*~

            Cassius Warrington was already out of the locker rooms, dressed back in the jeans and shirt he had been wearing before the match, when Su walked away from a short conference with Kirsten Bundy and a word of congratulations to Cho Chang to meet him.

            "Wench," he smirked down at her as she approached, "Your faith is 'well placed' indeed."

            "Yes," she gave him a wide smile, her dark eyes sparkling as they searched his face, "Come off it, it WAS very fun."

            "Indeed," he reached out and took her arm, leading her somewhat away from the locker rooms and towards an equipment shed. "But… before we discuss the details of the game, argue over everything, and you attempt to smack me before I throw you over my shoulder… there was the little issue of our wager."

            Su's face was slightly troubled now, thinking of the wager. It HAD been a matter of utmost importance, and not just pride, that she win. But the tie…

            He laughed slightly as her delicate brows furrowed. "Something the matter, Li? Now… what are we to do when it's a tie?"

            "Well. We still won," she remarked, "Cho caught the Snitch."

            "As I scored the last goal, making things even," he finished, grinning at her. "So now… who really won? And who is to do what?"

            Su was silent, mentally willing him to give in, in some way or another.

            "You can go first."

            "Pardon?" she looked up at him. He gave a slight shrug.

            "You can name your thing first," he said slowly, reaching over and wrapping a lock of her hair around a finger, "And then, after I do that… I'll name something at least equally humiliating and degrading for YOU. And then we'll be even."

            "Oh," she breathed, and slowly, her eyes gleamed as the soft lips quirked up in a slight smile. "Fine then. I shall. My request for you… is to spend the rest of your life with me."

            "What?" his hand froze by her face, and he stared down, rather surprised. She shrugged, and smirked up at him.

            "The agreement was 'no quibbling and arguments', remember?"

            He stared piercingly into her face, the pale golden skin slightly flushed, before starting to chuckle. "You do realize that we'd end up killing each other, more likely than not, right?"

            "Of course I realize," her voice was kept very light, "I'm a Ravenclaw, you swarthy git. But… wouldn't it be a very interesting way to go?"

            And at that, he, too, slowly smiled, and gave an acknowledging nod. "Too true. Fine …" He lowered his hand from her face, to clasp her fingers gently, even as he reached the other hand into a pocket and extracted something. Pushing a small, square object into her palm, he smirked. "I think you should have this, then."

            Su took one look at the object he'd pressed into her hand, and her breath caught in her throat. Slowly lifting her gaze from the expanse of black velvet towards his face, she whispered, "What… is this?"

            "It's a box." The obvious answer.

            "With a ring inside." She moved her hand out of his, for a moment, to open the lid. And the bright gleam of silver, filigreed, woven into a delicate band, shimmered in the warm sunlight. He caught her slightly shaky hands in his once again, and lifted the one which would be adorned with his ring to his lips. And for once, his eyes were serious as he kissed her knuckles.

            "Well, last time I checked, a ring _was_ rather customary for this sort of thing," he deadpanned, and she remained in shocked silence for another few seconds before bursting into laughter.

            "And what if I said no?" she asked, her eyes dancing as she looked from the ring, back up into his face.

            "Then I'd look really stupid wearing a girly ring that might only fit on my pinky, and you'd be breaking your own agreement. Not to mention, who else do you know whom you have so much fun plotting against?"

"You have an obscenely high opinion of yourself in relation to me, you know that?"

"That, my dear, is completely your own doing."

"Is that so?" the grin was small at first, but it widened with each second, "And what if I say to do something else?"

"I'm sure it can't be any more devastating and dangerous than marriage to a little hellion like you," he replied, raising an eyebrow. "But what might it be?"

"Something like this." Reaching a hand up to cup the back of his head, she raised herself up on her toes and pressed her lips against his, still smiling. 

A few moments later, he pulled away, his hands lingering on her waist as he gave her a satisfied little smirk. "Well, it's not a bad start, all things considered. We should discuss this further."

There was the sound of merry laughter and the glint of silver against skin before both had Apparated away.


End file.
